The present invention relates generally to cable cutters and, in particular, but not by the way of limitation, is a device for cutting marine mooring lines, cables, wires, and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved cutter for such moorings when used in securing marine mines and obstructor devices similarly moored in operative position.
Cutters used for this purpose may be roughly classified as either the active or passive types. The active types are triggered by contact with the mooring line, cable, or chain and activate a spring loaded blade or an explosive driven blade to cut the mooring. On the other hand, the passive type cutter severs the mooring line, cable, or chain by impacting a beveled cutting edge therewith, as the cutter is towed through the water.
The typical prior art towed cutters, both the active and passive types, require a hydrodynamic surface to position the blade at an optimum cutting attitude. The presence of these surfaces produces a drag which slows the towing vehicle for a given power output. Further, the individual cutters with these surfaces are relatively large and must be installed or removed when streaming or recovering the sweep from the water.
It is also known that the effectiveness of the sweep is increased as a result of an increased towing velocity. This is especially true when the mine field includes a relatively high percentage of obstructor devices. Aircraft, especially the modern rotary wing type, are ideally suited for this purpose. However, in the past, they have had their utility impaired by the difficulty in streaming and recovering the cumbersome prior art devices.